Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Good Day for Soup

Ah, November in Chicagoland!  Rain (drizzle, gentle rain, downpour - all in the same day, within 15 minutes of each other), roughly 50-degrees-ish, and of course, everyone's favorite comment about the weather "At least it's not snowing!".  This is fantastic "Soup Weather",  and yesterday I got an e-newsletter from the blog, Simply Rebekah with Cheesy Vegetable I-Want-to-Take-a-Bath-in-You Soup.  Now you know me, I've never met a recipe I don't play with somehow, so here's the SPH version:

1 quart box Pacific brand Free Range Organic Chicken stock (use your favorite brand of choice)
Salt, pepper and parsley (dried or fresh) to taste
1 package Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes with Onion
1 16 oz. package California Mix frozen vegetables
2 packages Pacific brand Cream of Chicken soup
1 16-oz. package shredded cheddar cheese
*TIP*  If you defrost your vegies, they will cook faster.  So, to speed up dinner, put your packages in a bowl on the counter in the morning.  They will be ready to rock and roll at dinnertime.  I did this yesterday by accident, and will never think of it as an accident again!**

Bring broth to a boil over high heat.  Add seasonings and potatoes.  Let boil for 10-15 minutes, til potatoes are almost tender.  Add California mix and cream of chicken soup.  Bring back up to a simmer over medium heat, and let bubble for about 8-10 minutes, til vegies are cooked through.  Stir in cheddar cheese, just til completely melted in, and serve hot.  This would be amazing with a crusty, Italian-type bread if you can do the gluten thing, especially if it was garlic bread!  Bubba had 2 bowls for dinner last night, and another really large bowl for lunch.  We all agreed that this would be an excellent way to make a quick and simple potato or corn chowder - just add some crumbled bacon, and omit the cheese.

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